The Federal Bureaucracy!

Chapter 15Unit 4

Defined: A complex web of federal agencies w/overlapping jurisdiction

Perception: wasteful, confusing, & rigid (big government)

Reality: most very satisfied with many aspects of government services, most problems caused by: congress, court and president as they keep tweaking it!

I. What is a Bureaucracy?

Constitution: made no mention of it! So, who controls it?

◦ The President: appoints heads of executive agencies, nominates cabinet secretaries, subject to Senate confirmation

◦ Congress: has right to appropriate money, investigate, and shape laws they administer

The appointment process has changed over time:◦ Appointments important due to interpretation of the law, tone

and effectiveness of their administration◦ Patronage dominated appointments in the 1800 to mid 1900s◦ Pendleton Act of 1883: began a slow & steady transfer of

federal jobs from patronage to the merit system◦ After Civil War, industrialization & the emergence of a national

economy necessitated federal regulations of interstate commerce, leading to growth of government agencies

II. The Growth of Bureaucracy

◦ The great Depression & World War II led to increased government activism

◦ Agencies took on a heightened regulatory role◦ Supreme Court upheld laws that granted discretion to

administrative agencies◦ The income tax (16th amendment) had been passed

earlier to pay for it all ◦ Public became convinced that military expansion, and

ongoing social programs were interest of nation, and this still goes on today

II. The Growth cont…

Since 1960s, only a modest increase in # of Fed. Govt employees, however significant increase in:◦ # of privately contracted employees◦ State & local government employees◦ Growth of discretionary authority: ability of agencies to

choose courses of action & to make policies not set out in statutory law

◦ Congress has delegated substantial authority to administrative agencies in three areas: Paying subsidies to particular groups & organizations in society (ex.

Farmers, veterans, scientists, schools, universities, hospitals) Transferring money from the federal government to state & local

governments through grants Devising & enforcing regulations for various sectors of society, particularly

the economy, schools, health care, roads & telecommunications

III. Activities of Agencies

Who are they? Employees of agencies or bureaus, distinct from elected officials

Authority: discretionary although supposed to be given only to elected officials, this insulates them from being fired for political purposes

Also, why they engage in seemingly redundant procedures and rules

This allows policies made at the top are carried out throughout the organization & that every citizen is treated the same way

IV. Bureaucrats!

The activities & powers of various agencies have tremendous impact on public policy, so understanding who runs & works in those agencies is important:◦ 1. Recruitment & retention:

The federal Civil Service System hires on basis of merit and promotes on basis of performance

Two types of bureaucrats; A. competitive services: appointed only after they have passed a written examination B. Expected services: hired without exam in non-partisan fashion

Very difficult to be fired as a bureaucrat, most suffer informal methods of discipline

When they are fired, the process of dismissal can take over a year

◦ 2. Personal & professional attributes: Profile of a bureaucrat: a cross section of American society in terms of education,

sex, race, & social origins However, like most of our society, minority over represented in lowest grade

levels and underrepresented in executive levels Civil Service system less discriminatory than private business, however at higher

levels still mainly white male, college educated & bit ore advantaged than others Civil servants generally more pro-government than average, but less extreme

also

IV. Bureaucrats cont…

3. The nature of their jobs: ◦ Career bureaucrats differ politically from their supervisors &

the political appointees who head their agencies, however, most carry out policy, even those they disagree with

◦ Whistle-blower: legislation which protects them from punitive actions by supervisors for reporting waste, fraud or abuse in their agencies

◦ Moreover, most of their jobs are so highly structured that makes their personal attitudes irrelevant

◦ Within each agency there is a culture & informal understanding among employees about how they are supposed to act

◦ This culture can motivate employees, but can also make agencies resistant to change

V. Bureaucrats cont…

4. Involvement in Iron Triangles & issue networks:◦ Agencies use their position to form useful power

relationships with congressional committees or an interest group; this is known as Iron Triangle (ex. Dept. of Veteran Affairs, the House & Senate Committee on Veteran affairs & veterans organization such as American Legion)

◦ Purpose: to serve the self-interest of all three groups◦ However, Iron Triangle far less common today due to

complicated politics, and much more powerful actors today, more like: Issue networks: involving interchanges among agencies, congress,

lobbyists, think tanks, academia, & corporations, media

V. Bureaucrat cont…

A prime example of Checks & balances! Congressional supervision takes several forms:

1. No agency can exist w/out congressional approval, & congress influences agency behavior by statutes it enacts

2. No money by agency had/spent until congress has authorized it: Authorization legislation starts in a congressional committee & states

maximum amount of $ that an agency can spend on a given program This could be permanent or renewed every year

3. Funds that have been authorized must also be appropriated through the house Appropriations Committee & its various subcommittees

House Appropriations Com. Has special power over agencies:◦ Can lower amount than what was requested, or revise or amend!

Which can have the effect of strong congressional influence on public policy

◦ This makes this committee single most powerful influence on agency spending & policy

VI. Congressional Oversight

◦ Congress can also investigate agencies by holding hearings

◦ It is an implied power of congress, but Sup. Ct. has backed it when challenged by those being investigated

◦ Investigations are used as a means for checking agency discretion & also for authorizing agency actions independent of presidential preferences

VI. Congressional oversight cont…

5 frequently mentioned problems with the Bureaucracy:◦ 1. Red Tape: too many complex rules & procedures must be

followed to get something done; reality: obligation of bureaucrats to execute policy in accord with rules set by elected officials & political appointees

◦ 2. Conflict: some agencies seem to be working at cross purposes with other agencies; reality: due to congress wanting to achieve a # of different, partially inconsistent goals; or cannot decide which goal it values most

◦ 3. Duplication: two government agencies seem to be doing the same thing; reality: same as conflict

◦ 4. Imperialism: agencies tend to grow without regard to the benefits that their programs confer or the costs that they entail

◦ 5. Waste: agencies spend more than is necessary to buy some products & services; reality: same as red tape

Although these problems do exist, they are overstated & have logical origins in the Constitution & the policy making process!

VII. Reforming Bureaucracy

Bureaucratic reform always hard to accomplish due to:◦ Struggles between president & congress which can lead

to red tape and more rules◦ Periods of divided government can make matters worse,

which makes reform not impossible, but just difficult◦ However, despite these efforts, the American

Bureaucracy remains a huge, complex, and powerful part of the federal government

◦ Its role in implementing and defining public policy is of extreme importance!

VII. Reforming Bureaucracy cont…